Improvement in arithmetical toy blocks



J. B. SMITH.

Arithmetical Toy-Blocks.

Patented Aug. 24,1875.

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N-PETERS, PHDYO-LITHOGRAPNER WASHINGTON D c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN 0. SMITH, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN ARITHMETICALTOY BLOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 167,030, dated August24,1875; application filed J nne 7, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN 0. SMITH, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kingsand State of New York, have invented an Improved Arithmetic-Block, ofwhich the following is a specification The objects of this invention areamusement and instruction. I employ triangular strips cut off intolengths of one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and teninches, (or other integral parts,) and upon each of these lengths thereare on one side as many figures or pictures, such as of soldiers, asthere are inches or other integral parts in the length of the strip. Onthe other side is a word with the Roman and also the ordinary numeralscorresponding to the length of the strip and the number of figures;hence, there is amusement in setting up the blocks or strips, andinstruction by the comparison of lengths and their correspondingnumbers. The words and figures are also learned corresponding to thosenumbers, so that a child can be taught, by inspection and observation ofactual articles, the principles of addition, subtraction,multiplication, and division. At the same time relative values areimpressed upon the mind by a comparison of relative lengths, and thecorresponding sign and name associated with the representative value.

In the drawing, I have represented, by an isometrical perspective view,a number of these numerical toys, some with one side visible and otherswith the other side. By the dotted lines the relative lengths areindicated.

Taking the length represented by ten parts as the standard I provide oneor more of thestrips of this length. Also one or more of the length ofnine, and so on. There should be twelve blocks of an inch in length,seven of two inches in length, three of four inches in length, and soon, in order that, by placing six and four together to make the lengthof ten, or three and seven, or two and eight, and so on, the relativelengths will become a matter of comparison and estimate.

To facilitate the computation and comparison one picture, such as of asoldier, is made to occupy a single space, so that there will be ten ofthese upon the longest block, and upon the others there will be two,three, four, 8250., according to the length of the block or strip, andupon the back there will be a word, such as one, five, ten, 850.,accompanied by the corresponding ordinary figure and Roman numeralshence, the blocks or strips will be complete in themselves, with all theelements required for instructive com parisonsin length, and forteaching mental arithmetic.

The strips are, by preference, isosceles triangles sectionally, and maybe of wood or other material with the pictures, figures, &c., printed,stenciled, or pasted thereon, or pasteboard or stiff paper may be foldedinto the desired shape to form the strip:

I do not claim a toy block formed by dividing a cube or squarediagonally into two parts. In this instance the base of the isoscelestriangle is the broadest, and the other two sides are too narrow inproportion to be usefully employed as the available surfaces forpictures, numbers, letters, 860. In my improved toy, herein described,the bases of the blocks are only broad enough to cause them to standfirmly, and the broad inclined surfaces are available for pictures,letters, &c., and a greater extent of surface for instructiveillustrations is obtained from the same sized box of toy blocks, thanfrom any other toy block heretofore made.

I claim as my invention The arithmetical toy herein described,consisting of blocks of wood or other material of various lengths,divided on one side into parts, which are integral, by pictures, andcontaining upon another side a numeral or word indicative of the numberof said pictures, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

Signed by me this 4th day of June, A. D. 1875.

JOHN 0. SMITH.

Witnesses:

Gno. T. PINGKNEY, CHAS. H. SMITH.

